Suzuki XL7 - Manual (Page 172)

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DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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of the road. Drive at speeds that let you
stay in your own lane.
• As you go over the top of a hill, be alert.
There could be something in your lane,
like a stalled car or an accident.
• You may see highway signs on moun-
tains that warn of special problems.
Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area,
or winding roads. Be alert to these and
take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
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Here are some tips for winter driving:
• Have your vehicle in good shape for win-
ter.
• You may want to put winter emergency
supplies in your vehicle.
Also refer to “Tires” in the “Service and
Appearance Care” section.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or
broom, a supply of windshield washer fluid,
a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small
shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth, and a cou-
ple of reflective warning triangles. And, if
you will be driving under severe conditions,
include a small bag of sand, a piece of old
carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly
secure these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the
tires meet the road probably have good
traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between
the tires and the road, you can have a very
slippery situation. You will have a lot less
traction, or grip, and will need to be very
careful.
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What is the worst time for this? Wet ice.
Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard
to drive on. But wet ice can be even more
trouble because it may offer the least trac-
tion of all. You can get wet ice when it is
about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing
rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice until salt and sand crews can get
there.
Whatever the condition – smooth ice,
packed, blowing, or loose snow – drive
with caution.
Traction control improves your ability to
accelerate when driving on a slippery road.
But you can turn the traction system off if
you ever need to. You should turn the trac-
tion system off if your vehicle ever gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. Refer to
“If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow” in this section. Even though your